Hot Hot Hot
May 22nd, 2007An interesting storyline is developing in the Presidential campaign: John McCain as rude hothead. I’ve got a couple of notes on the article.
In the 2000 presidential bid, McCain was dubbed “Senator Hothead” by Newsweek. That year, he won endorsement from only a few Senate colleagues. His frequent attacks and volatile personality were most likely to blame. “McCain notes,” which offer apologies after heated words, are held by many members of Congress. McCain has written about what he describes as his impatience. “Although I try to refrain from being intentionally discourteous, I am demonstrative in showing my displeasure. I am often impatient and can speak and act abruptly,” he wrote in “Why Courage Matters” in 2004.
In a 1999 interview with The Times, McCain said: “I do everything I can to keep my anger under control. I wake up daily and tell myself, ‘You must do everything possible to stay cool, calm and collected today.’”
Listen: if the first thing you tell yourself in the morning is, “Don’t go batshit,” there’s something wrong with you. I’ve said it all along: McCain’s mental state is not one for a President nor is his closed mind. He’s a nut, and he’s nuttier than George W. Bush.
These comments are pretty good, too. McCain was asked about his disagreements with Romney on immigration. So he said,
“Maybe I should wait a couple of weeks and see if it changes because its changed in less than a year from his position before,” McCain retorted, referring to Romney’s immigration stance. “And maybe his solution will be to get out his small varmint gun and drive those Guatemalans off his lawn.”
Naturally, the media jumped on his comments when before, the same comments would’ve branded him refreshing and candid! What’s changed? People in the press really want to see a Democrat. At the least, they don’t want a nasty hawk Republican, which is what McCain is, and in this post-9/11 World, nobody wants to elect Barry Goldwater.